It is well known that landscape pavers are increasingly popular for use in producing attractive patios, walkways, driveways, etc. Typically such landscape pavers are made from stone, concrete, brick, aggregate compounds, etc., and may be produced in varying colors. thicknesses and sizes depending upon particular requirements of a landscape site. Increasing use of such pavers and similar, hard materials in landscaping has given rise to the new term “hardscaping”. Such pavers, however, are invariably quite heavy, ranging from 20 to 200 pounds, and require substantial manipulation to be processed from a palletized, transport condition, to storage at a landscape site, and then to final installation on a prepared surface at the site. Typically, such manipulation is done by hand by skilled masons and their assistants. This leads to great manual effort and substantial risk of injury to fingers, toes and backs of the workers. Additionally, such tedious manual moving of heavy pavers takes up substantial time, thereby raising costs of use of pavers compared to crushed rock, poured asphalt, etc.
Many efforts have been undertaken to enhance the safety and efficiency of moving pavers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,049 to Thompson discloses use of one or more vacuum types of cups connected to a vacuum source and one or more shafts to lift, move and drop pavers or concrete blocks. Thompson, however, shows usage of a vacuum source and controls therefor that are remote from a handle connected to the shaft. Therefore, a vacuum must be applied to the vacuum cup for long durations prior to attachment to the concrete block, during moving thereof, and after detachment of the block, unless a control valve for the vacuum is actuated by a second worker. U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,335 to King et al. similarly shows a “suction lifting device”, wherein a remote vacuum source is connected to “vacuum pucks” and the vacuum is controlled by actuators remote from the pavers or any handles of the device.
Use of a remote vacuum source and remote vacuum actuator controls for lifting pavers requires that a vacuum be applied to the suction well prior to application of the suction head to a paver, during the movement of the paver, and typically thereafter. This also requires either remote actuation of a vacuum valve, or some complicated mechanism at the vacuum cup to release the vacuum to thereby detach the vacuum cup from the paver. It is known that most such concrete block movers simply have a vacuum pump that is not actuated for each move, but that operates continuously and is therefore energy inefficient. Some known vacuum concrete block movers require peeling of the pliable vacuum cup off of the block to detach the vacuum cup from the block, thereby causing substantial wear and tear to the cup.
It is also known that hand-held paver moving systems have been operated through use of a standard air-compressor and tank, such as air compressors used to power pneumatic tools like nail guns, etc. A long hose passes between the compressor and the hand-held paver moving tool to apply a vacuum to a suction head of the tool. Such known paver moving systems involve a substantial risk of the hose becoming tangled in stacks of pavers, or an operator's feet, causing risk of injury to the operator. Additionally, a heavy paver may be accidentally dropped on the hose causing further damage. Also, this known system requires the substantial power and cost of utilizing an expensive air compressor and related filters and hoses, etc.
Consequently, there is a need for a paver moving tool that maximizes worker safety and that minimizes labor and energy costs.